Ok, ok. For all of you newbie's and the ones that are coming back. This is the second installment to my Jack Sparrow series on his life after he lost the Black Pearl to Barbossa but before the movie introduces him. My first was called "Red Sky in morning" So check it out if you haven't and if you have I hope you enjoy.

CHAPTER 1

It had been a long year. And Jack had nearly nothing to show for it. He had been

chasing rumors of the Black Pearl for two years now and instead of it getting easier it had

only been getting harder to find where she had last made port. Now Jack didn't really

believe in curses and ghosts or that Barbossa was worse than the devil, "I'm fucking

bader than that fop." Jack grumbled out loud. But he could give Barbossa one thing, he

sure knew how to help build a legend up fast. Now everywhere he went to ask about the

Black Pearl he was met by scarred starring eyes and ridiculous stories of demons and

ghosts. "The whole damn Caribbean was going spotty."

He had managed to piece together a makeshift crew from buccaneers he had

found sitting idly in bars among various ports. He wouldn't admit it but Jack was trying

to avoid going back to Tortuga before he absolutely had too. He had sort of "barrowed"

Anna Maria's boat and he was going to give it back but not until he had recaptured the

pearl.

"Captain!" yelled his first mate, a soft looking man named Gibbs. Gibbs had been

a swab in the British navy before he had become tired with the life. He was dishonorably

discharged due to too much drinking on the job and Jack had found Gibbs half dead lying

on the floor of a tavern in Port Morant. Jack had instantly liked the drunken Gibbs and

asked him to join his crew. Gibbs accepted (At least Jack always thought of the slurred

jabbering as an acceptance) and Jack had made in first mate.

Jack roused himself from his thoughts and said, "What is it Gibbs?"

"There's some odd fog that we're coming into sir."

"Fog?" Jack asked excitedly. In the stories he had been hearing lately the Black

Pearl was followed around a fog that was actually made up of all the souls of all their

victims, or so it was said. So Jack smiling for the first time in weeks sauntered up on

deck. "Fog was right." Jack thought to himself. The fog swirled around the ship like a

living force.

The men on his ship seemed to know at least some of the stories because they

were huddling in small groups whispering to each other. Gibbs walked up to Jack and

spoke, "Captain, this here fog be unnatural. We best be getting out of it right quick."

"Nonsense Gibbs." Jack said waving him off, "I didn't think a little bit of bad

weather would send a ship of hardened sailors shivering in their shoes."

"The sane ones are the ones left shivering." Gibbs quipped then walked away

pulling out his small flash and after taking a drink he said under his breath, "More sane

then a sun-brain-boiled fool."

"Normally," Jack said raising his voice good naturedly to Gibbs, "When ya

whisper ya don't want to be heard."

"My apologies Captain." Gibbs said and then turning to the ship hands yelled,

"Well what are ya all standing there fer you scurvy dogs? We have a ship to run!" With

that the men scattered to their various jobs and Jack was left at the wheel. He was looking

into the fog, half expecting the Black Pearl to materialize out of the fog, and fiddling with

a silver ring with a black stone in the middle that was on his right index finger.

The fog seemed to be getting worse if that was possible, it was now nearly

impossible to see a hand ahead of the ship. Jack squinted his eyes when a movement in

the fog caught his eyes. He turned his head to see a dark shape moving away from them.

"The Pearl." He whispered to himself. It might have been nothing to no one else but Jack

knew that he had just gotten a glimpse of his ship. Jack unexpectedly turned the Intrepid,

following after the ghostly shape that had slid through the fog. When a horrible explosion

that ripped the unearthly silence apart.

"What in hell fire?" Jack asked.

"Mary mother of God!" he heard Gibbs yell "Jack turn the ship! We're going ta

die!" Gibbs was pointing frantically ahead to them.

"Oh calm yer self Gibbs." Jack started smiling at him. But Jack had seen it too

now, a skeletal ship surrounded in flames, and they were headed straight for it!

"Jesus Christ!" Jack yelled "Drop the anchor! We need to slow the boat!" the men

were clambering for the anchor and Jack was turning hard to starboard. The pirates could

feel the heat of the flames touching their faces and all knew they were going to die.

Jack was just about to apologize to God for everything he'd done wrong in his life when the anchor hit bottom and with a squeal and crack of angry wood stopped the ship

only a few hundred yards away from the inferno. Jack closed his eyes and realizing he

was still holding his breath exhaled relieved mouthing a silent "Thank you." To what

ever god seemed to be looking out for him.

The men had gathered at the railings looking at the burning ruin. "Who was it?"

asked one sailor. "It was the Revenge it looks like!" yelled another.

"But the Revenge is a pirate ship! It's breaking ordinances that the Brethren of the

Coast set down for us."

Just then every man on deck caught a look at a huge dark galley with ripped black

sails flying under Barbossa's black flag.

"The Pearl!" Jack exclaimed, nearly jumping up and down with excitement.

"Quick!" he yelled "We need to get after 'er!"

The crew just starred at him like they all believed he was as crazy as he looked,

Gibbs touched Jacks shoulder and asked calmly, "And how do you suggest we do that

Captain? The poor flaming guts of the Revenge are in our way."

"We'll go around!" Jack said frantically, he was losing sight of the Pearl and he

couldn't take it. His eyes were rolling wildly, he looked around the men and said, "But

that's my ship!" The men just starred.

"Sir by the time we maneuver around all this rubble the Pearl will be long gone."

Gibbs said patting Jacks shoulder.

Jack knew he was right but he wouldn't admit it. Damn that drunk Gibbs for

being right. "I think I need a drink." Jack said.

"Aye Captain we all do." Gibbs said offering Jack a swig off his flask. Jack took a

long swig and Gibbs walked Jack away from the rest of the crew, "We need to tell the

Brethren about this. If the Pearl is 'unting down her fellow pirate ships as well as

merchants then we 'ave a big problem."

Jack nodded, "You're right we need to go back to Tortuga."

"The crew will be happy to hear that." Gibbs said smiling.

"Tortuga." Jack thought to himself, he always seemed to end up there sooner or

later. He just sent a silent request to that unknown guardian he had that Anna Maria was

no longer there, and if she was that she didn't ever get him alone. He wasn't afraid of

women, but then again Anna Maria wasn't like any other woman in the seas. She was a

good pirate but she was also a woman, "Hell hath no furry like a woman scorned."

Jack smiled to himself. Where on earth had that come from? "Turning into a bloody

philosopher are we Jack?" He laughed and looked down at his hands. He found that he

was playing with his ring again. He always did that when he felt that the Pearl was in his

reach.

"Turn the ship toward Tortuga mates. We're going home!" Jack yelled to the

pirates. They cheered and began working again, heartened by the thought of going home.

"And I plan on getting roaring drunk." Jack thought and smiled. Yes his idea was

a good one. After all he thought better when he was drunk anyway.

Ok, Ok. Tell me how ya like the beginning. Much love to all those reading. Review and don't be afraid to speak yer mind. I know it starts a little slow but give me some time.